Energy Vision

Many Americans believe that reducing the use of fuels which emit carbon dioxide is one of our most important national priorities; many Americans believe that reducing the use of imported oil is one of our most important national priorities. Although there is obviously overlap between the groups, there is also a divide across traditional partisan lines. However, if you lump together all the people who rank one or the other or both of these energy-related issues as critically important, this lump would be a large majority of the voting population. Mobilizing and unifying this majority behind a single program is an incredible opportunity for one of the too many candidates running too early for president of the US to distinguish him or herself from the pack.

Here’s a free speech for whoever wants it (pls don’t check first with your consultants):

“The American Energy Plan (needs a better name) will help protect us both from terrorism and environmental disaster. It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions while cutting the flow of oil money to regimes which support terror. It will make the world a safer place.

“If you elect me President, I will initiate a program which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions WORLDWIDE by (some huge number) within eight years and will reduce our dependence on imported oil by (another huge number) within the same eight years.  You’ll know at the end of four years whether we’re on track to meet these goals; I don’t expect to be returned to office if we’re not.

“Some of the specific actions in this program are transitioning a significant percentage of our transportation to electric and hybrid electric while continuing the switch to biofuels for the many vehicles which will still need a pumpable fuel; switching home heating and cooling from fossil fuels to efficient electric applications including geothermal heat pumps and off-peak heat storage; and encouraging both conservation and the use of alternative fuels through a three year program of increases in the gas tax which will be fully rebated to the American people through decreases in Social Security taxes and assured solvency for Social Security and Medicare.

“This transition to a more electric economy requires more generating capacity although much of it – like the charging of batteries – can be accomplished off-peak. Nuclear power has an important role to play in providing this increased generating capacity without increasing emissions. We WILL defeat the politics of self-interest and open the depository in Nevada during my first term to assure that radioactive waste is safely stored. We will build windmills offshore and on ridge lines; Americans know how to make reasonable tradeoffs in pursuit of essential goals.  We will build huge solar generating facilities in the desert and the power lines necessary to transport their output. We will learn how to increase the use of America’s enormous coal resource for power generation while sequestering the currently high CO2 emissions from old as well as new plants.

“We will eliminate the prohibitive tariffs on imported sugar since that crop can be used to make ethanol at least as efficiently as corn. We will allow currently banned imported ethanol to hasten the switch to biofuels for transportation and eliminate the need for more oil refineries. Since these steps will increase the cost of energy for manufacturing in the United States, we will raise tariffs on the manufactured goods of any major supplier country which does not take similar steps to reduce emissions and the use of oil.

“Will this be painless? No. Is it better than the alternative of possible catastrophic global warming and increased dependence on oil from the least stable parts of the earth? Yes. Can we do it? Yes. Can I be elected your President by promising you some tough alternatives?  That’s up to you.”

One of the reasons I’d vote for the candidate who makes this speech – doesn’t matter what party he or she is from – is that the proposal unites us across our differences rather than using the differences as a wedge. I’m not convinced that the recent acceleration in global warming is wholly anthropogenic or reversible; I’m certainly willing to make common cause with those who are convinced because there are an achievable series of steps which accomplish both their priority and my goal of reducing the use of imported oil.

Related posts:

The Price of Gasoline SHOULD Go Up

Raise the Gas Tax – More Thoughts

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – Summary for Policymakers